The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1887-07-30
THE CAMP FIRE.


Martin of the Brooklyn elevated the
other day, "now that you think OF
them when the tears are dried away,
and about the funniest things / recall
were the queer articles the boys used
TO pick up on the march and the eccen-
trio way in which they'd tote 'em along
to finally adorn some ditch by the way
side. Stragglers were the worst at
this, but all the fellows were bad
enough. Whenever the army went
through iirst-family residence the
BOYS would capture what struck each
as the most attractive. and some OF
their tastes were peculiar. They had
great weakness for cradless You
may ask me what man treading his
way TO the front wanted with ma
hogany cradle, and I'm blest IL know,
but they took 'em. First one man
would back n cradle and cart 1t
dozen miles; then he'd begin to cuss
and finally drop 1t.
"Now, you'd suppose that an ordi-
nary IDIOT would just look at that
cradle as IL lay in the road and pass
on, but they wouldn't. Some one
would be certain TO pick ii up and lug
IL q few miles further into the Con-
federacy.
al recall pne cradle that travelled 100
miles on blue backs before 1t went to
increase the blaze of mess fire.
Somehow they seemed TO think vague
ly that there was chance of getting
the infant soother home, but they
never succeeded
"The funniest thing ever saw car
ried was looking glass as high as
your head and two feet wide. l saw
IL first in the parlor of a Central Vir-
ginia mansion, and next on soldiers
back headed for Petersburg. Then |
lost sight Of il for two days. and found
IL again propped up against a tree
| forty miles further along The next
day ] saw il travelling tenderly on
straggler's back. He had his gun In
one hand, and had somehow strapped
the glass so he could get along with
out holding fast to it.
"Well, this fellow must have got
tired, for the next day third man
had it, and on the next fourth. This
chap toted il into the lines OF Peters
burg. He set it up against n tree,
took long, regretful look at full
length of his shabby self, and turned
away with sigh.
at was just as well that he did.
The next minute along came Mimic
bullet, buzzing like hornet, and hit
the glass square in the center, and
smashed it into "a frame full of cracks
radiating from around the hole.
1.-THE heavier and more useless
4 things were the more they chung TO
them, even combining to escort pianos
into untimely graves in mudholes; but
I the man who could steal a rocking
chair was white-robed angel In his
own mind, and the object of universal
envy.
Two-sIDED.
Mr.. Stanton, the great War Secre-
tary, was known 10 most persons who
transacted business with him as an ir-
ritable, impatient, despotic man, who
would not listen TO an explanation or
/ brook contradiction. Yet Don
Piatt, who knew him WELL says that
In early life he was generous, sensi-
tive, impulsive 10 fault, carried his
heart in an open hand, and lived in q
world created by his imagination.
But the sweetest wine makes the sour
est vinegar, and Mr.. Piatt says that
Stanton's change of character dates
from the death of his first wife, over
whose loss he never ceased TO grieve.
When he became Secretary OF War
/ he was subject 20 rush of blood 10 the
brain, which threatened TO end his life
at any moment To this disorder was
added prolonged mental strain,
which, during months of great respon-
sibility, was not released day or night
Yet the impatient, tyrannical Secre-
tary always held out a hand TO the
common soldier, as the following story
told by Mr. Piatt shows. One morn
ing the Secretary's Office was crowded
with officers and members of Congress.
A ragged, dirty, sickly young man
stole timidly in, and stood leaning
against the wall near the door.
"Well, my lad, what can / do for
your said Secretary Stanton, brushing
aside the officers and calling the boy
10 him.
The soldier, without saying word.
drew letter from his pocket and
handed IL TO the Secretary, who, tear
ing it open, cried, "Come here, all OF
you'll"
They gathered about him; he read
the letter aloud, and holding IT up
Il